Jake Gyllenhaal Opens Up About Heath Ledger: “I Miss Him as a Human Being.”

In need of a good cry today? Well, actor Jake Gyllenhaal has you covered. The ripped Southpaw star recently sat down with NPR’s “Fresh Air” and opened up about his close friend and Brokeback Mountain co-star Heath Ledger, who tragically lost his life in 2008.

“I miss him as a human being and I miss working with him and what an unfortunate thing it is that we won’t be able to see the beauty of his expression,” Jake told NPR.

He followed up with, “I’m trying to be present where I am. I’m trying to have relationships that are as real as they possibly can be on a movie set, be close to people because I know that it’s precious. And I know, not only can this career end in a very short period of time and this or that can happen, but also that life is precious. I think losing Heath and being a part of a family that was something like the movie, that movie we all made together, makes you see that, makes you appreciate that and hopefully moves you away from the things that really don’t matter to the things that do.”